Anytime
by lrigD
Summary: Title sucks. Brennan/Angela friendship, takes place between Wannabe in the Weeds and Pain in the Heart.


**_This is one of those little stories you think of late at night while you are trying to sleep. You wouldn't believe how tired I am right now xD_**

**_Anyways, I guess I must credit TempeJill because she gave me the idea with her story "What she's been through." It's a great story; go read it._**

This takes place between Wannabe in the Weeds and Pain in the Heart, so Booth is 'dead'. I completely made up the case.

Do tell me what you think!

* * *

"It's like she doesn't even _feel_, you know?" Angela Montenegro was greeted with those words as she stepped onto the platform. She narrowed her eyes at the man in the middle of the platform, looking around as if he owned the place.

They hardly tolerated him; Booth's death was still fresh in their minds and they were not yet ready for another FBI agent, especially one that was as insufferable as Tom Jacey. However, they had to solve this case, and they needed to solve it fast.

The last few days had been incredibly tense at the Jeffersonian. Everybody was affected by the death of their FBI liaison; and though she hid it well, Angela knew that Brennan was affected most of all.

Which is why the latest words of Jacey made her angrier than she had been in a long time. She took a deep breath and tried to stay calm; nobody needed anger right now.

"I have a face for Lindsay," she told everyone on the platform. Cam turned around, relieved to have some change in the atmosphere. Angela knew Jacey was driving her crazy, too.

"That's good, Angela." She had changed, too; Angela knew the history between Cam and Booth, even though nobody had ever told her, and she had tried to console Cam in the best way she could.

"What good is a face gonna do us?" Angela balled her fists as she heard the loud voice. At times like these, she wished she was as good at martial arts as her friend was. She would give anything to be able to really hurt the guy, even if it was just once.

"For starters, it might make people recognize her," she replied, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"Oh, you're gonna act arrogant now?" Jacey sneered, and a thought drifted up in Angela's mind.

"How did you get into the FBI?" she muttered, turning around disgustedly.

"You're as bad as the cold chick," Jacey called after her, and that was when Angela's restraint broke. She turned around, starting to see the red before her eyes she had come to recognize as blind anger.

"Could you just give it _up_ for once?" She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but it had no use.

"If you had one ounce of brain in your head, you would know that she is not cold. If you actually had the skills you should have as an FBI-agent, you wouldn't be so damn arrogant and dumb."

Jacey looked dumbstruck for a moment before he recovered. "Right, and she even got you to defend her… how cute."

"You…" she did not dare finish her sentence, and he interrupted before she could.

"It's just her partner that died," she shrugged. "It's not like he meant anything to her. Nobody means anything to her."

"He –" This time, she didn't have to find any words anymore. They just flew out.

"He meant more to her, to all of us than you could ever mean. How did you even become an FBI agent? Why would _anyone_ want to hire you? You do nothing but make bad remarks. You can't even work a case properly." She stepped closer to him, physically intimidating him.

"And let me tell you something about Brennan. She has been through more than you could even imagine, and she came through. She is a thousand times better person than you will ever be. So don't you dare say she is _cold_ or unfeeling. You don't know anything about it. You don't know a thing about that woman."

Behind Jacey, she could see her colleagues, Cam looking at her with surprise and appreciation and Hodgins with a curious look on his face.

"Now, get the hell out of here before I really hurt you. We'll do this without your 'help'."

He looked behind him at Cam and Hodgins, but they were staring at him with malice in their eyes. Then he turned around, muttering to himself as he walked away. "Damn lab rats… can't even appreciate humour… stupid people. And they call _me_ dumb…"

She watched him as he left the room, breathing out in relief as the doors closed behind him.

"I'm sor-" Again, she didn't get to finish her sentence.

"Don't apologize, Angela, that was brilliant." Cam grinned at her, and for the slightest moment, the gloomy depression that had been hanging over them disappeared.

"Yeah, Ange… you were great," Hodgins told her quietly, admiration in his voice. "Though you're making me worried about Dr. B."

"Where _is_ Bren?" Angela asked, frowning. "I thought she'd be up here."

"She's in her office." Cam gave her a look that clearly said her friend needed a female presence, so Angela nodded to them and then left for Brennan's office.

--

"Sweetie?" The room was darker than usual and Brennan was in the middle of it, staring at her computer screen.

"Hey, Bren." Brennan looked up at that, her eyes misty.

"Angela, do you have a face?" Behind the strictly professional voice, Angela could tell what she had been thinking about.

"Yeah, here." She held out her hand with the photo in it and Brennan took it. She traced Lindsay's cheekbones with her finger. "She was beautiful," she said, softly, her voice taking on a completely different tone.

"Yeah, she was," Angela agreed.

Suddenly Brennan seemed to realize what she was doing, for she abruptly lay down the photo and returned to her computer. "Now, if you wouldn't mind; I have some work to do."

"No, you don't, sweetie." She walked towards her friend cautiously; these days, there was no way to know how Brennan was going to react.

Instead of the usual denial, Brennan simply sighed. "Angela…"

Angela slipped in the chair next to her, turning to her friend.

"How come I can't forget?" She was staring ahead of her, and on the screen, Angela saw a man and woman she recognized. She was surprised; she had expected this to be about Booth, but apparently, Brennan had other things on her mind as well.

"Sweetie, why do you have them on your screen?" The anger inside of her, which had just died down, roared up again.

"I was just… thinking… about how it seems my life can never go right."

_So that's how she got to the subject_, a small voice inside Angela's voice said, but she shushed it. She hated seeing her friend like this; it was never good, but with Temperance, it meant there was a disaster.

"Hey. That's over," she said firmly, shutting off the screen. "You got out, remember? He lost."

It had been very early on in their friendship; Brennan had been at her third foster home at the time, and Angela had quickly recognized the cuts and bruises for what they were.

"I know, but… they all leave."

Angela's heart, so shortly ago filled with anger, broke with those words. "Oh, sweetie…" she leaned forward to hug her friend. Holding her tightly, she whispered: "I didn't leave you, did I?" When Brennan didn't reply, she continued. "He didn't leave because he wanted to, Bren." They both knew who she was talking about. "He died saving _you_."

"What if I didn't want him to save me?" Brennan's broken voice brought tears to her eyes, and she honestly didn't know how to reply. Instead, she just comforted Brennan, who wasn't quite crying, but certainly on the verge.

Eventually, Brennan pulled back, and Angela could almost feel the self-defense mechanisms kicking in. "Thank you, Angela." There it was again, the formal voice; but with just a hint of _real_ thankfulness, she noted.

"You're welcome, sweetie." She looked at her friend closely, but Brennan said nothing more, so she stood up to leave.

"By the way, what was the yelling about just a minute ago?" Brennan asked suddenly as Angela was in the doorway.

"Oh, that?" Angela turned back and grinned. "Well, let's just say you won't have to worry about agent Jacey any longer."

A watery smile appeared on Brennan's face. "Thanks, Ange," she said again.

"Any time, Bren." She turned back. "Any time."

* * *

**_So what do you think?_**


End file.
